


neon shadows and our favorite colors

by lotts (LottieAnna)



Series: covering spaces [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: 5+1, Alternate Universe - College/University, Growing Up, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 06:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14710805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LottieAnna/pseuds/lotts
Summary: Mitch Marner is beautiful, maybe.Or maybe, Auston just likes Mitch enough that anything that is Mitch, or makes him think of Mitch, is kind of beautiful to him.Or maybe, Auston’s just staring at his friend in the middle of lecture, and should get more sleep next time, so he can focus on what his professor is saying instead of how long Mitch Marner’s eyelashes are.





	neon shadows and our favorite colors

**Author's Note:**

> IF YOU FOUND THIS THROUGH GOOGLING, KNOW ANYONE MENTIONED IN THIS STORY PERSONALLY, OR ARE MENTIONED YOURSELF: please, please click away. This is a work of fiction and nothing written in this story is true. Any accurate information used in this story is publicly available information about public figures, the rest is made up, 100%.
> 
> I wrote this because I love Mitch Marner and hate thinking about the future. Set in the same ‘verse as the Mat/Tito soft stripper AU but you really don't have to read that one to get this one? There's a lil bit of overlap. thanks to ciara, ali, ash, ang <3

 

The first time Auston looks at Mitch Marner and has a moment like,  _ oh,  _ they’re in the middle of lecture, and Mitch’s eyes are falling shut. 

Auston’s tired too, but he’s afraid of falling asleep in public. It’s a maybe-irrational fear that started with the one time his sister fell asleep on a bus, but it’s stuck with him; sleeping happens in beds, or occasionally on couches. Everywhere else, he uses any ounce of willpower he can muster to stay awake. 

Mitch, on the other hand, had actually tried taking notes, and that’s clearly backfiring. His head’s not drooping forward yet, but it’s reaching that point, so Auston’s trying to keep an eye on him. 

It’s a pretty easy thing to keep an eye on. Mitch Marner has very long eyelashes and a light dusting of freckles, if you look closely enough, and Auston’s tired brain focuses on those details like it’s the most natural thing in the world. 

Mitch is a funny looking guy, but Auston’s always thought he was funny looking in a cute way. Like, sure, he’s got bony elbows and a mouth that’s too big for his face, but he has a ridiculous talent for smiling, and Auston’s never thought of smiling as a talent before, but it’s not like Mitch’s smile is particularly special in any objective sense. It’s just— it’s always there, and it’s always real, and it fits on his face so well. Even in posed photographs, he goes for a full-mouthed, toothy grin, like he’s okay with looking goofy as long as he looks happy. 

Which might just be because when he doesn’t smile, he looks incredibly grumpy and a whole ten years younger than he actually is, but still. His smile fits nicely on his face, is the point.

But it’s not like Mitch is bad-looking at all, just— not the most conventionally handsome at all times. From the right angles he looks really nice, and he’s got the kind of features that draw you in, Auston thinks. 

He’s like… weird-hot, almost. 

Or maybe he’s just beautiful. 

Auston lingers on that for a second. 

He’s pretty sure a few weeks ago, he and Mitch were only friends because they knew the same people and couldn’t get away with not getting to know each other, and Auston had figured they’d stop at mutual acquaintances, but Mitch has stuck it out, and Auston doesn’t think he’s gonna go away any time soon. 

Which is nice. Mitch is a great guy, and Auston’s always happier when he’s around than when he’s not, and Auston doesn’t feel that way around many people, but then again, Auston hasn’t met many people like Mitch Marner. 

Who is… beautiful. 

Or maybe, Auston just likes Mitch enough that anything that is Mitch, or makes him think of Mitch, is kind of beautiful to him. 

Or maybe, Auston’s just staring at his friend in the middle of lecture, and should get more sleep next time, so he can focus on what his professor is saying instead of how long Mitch Marner’s eyelashes are. 

 

(After lecture, Mitch drags Auston to Starbucks, and Auston pretends to be annoyed until Mitch insists on buying him coffee, at which point, he promptly drops the act. 

“You really don’t have to,” he says, too soft for a response to a normal, kind gesture at the tail end of a joint all-nighter, but then again, his heart is beating too loudly for the exact same reason, and Mitch’s eyes are so bright Auston feels a little bit like he’s on fire. 

Then, Mitch laughs, and Auston wonders how one person can carry so much sunshine, and how it took him this long to notice. It’s kind of absurd, really, that Auston had ever questioned whether or not Mitch Marner was going to stick around, because there’s no way Auston’s gonna let him go.

Auston’s definitely too tired, but he’s pretty sure he’s not wrong.) 

 

***

 

The next  _ oh  _ moment happens a few weeks later, when Auston shows up at a party and Mitch is already there, three sheets to the wind, dancing with someone else. 

It’s kind of like a punch in the gut, for a moment, but before Auston can figure out why, Mitch looks over at him, and there’s a moment of strangely charged eye contact, where Mitch can probably see some of the confusion written on Auston’s face, because Auston knows it’s there, and it’s the exact kind of thing Mitch would notice. 

Mitch turns away and pulls the guy in close, stands on his toes and whispers something in his ear, and Auston’s stomach keeps twisting itself into tighter and tighter knots as it happens. 

But then, Mitch walks away from the guy. 

Then, he walks over to Auston. 

“Hey,” Mitch says, not at all steady on his feet. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.” 

There’s no reason for him to have known Auston would be here tonight, but Auston doesn’t point that out. “I’m here with friends.” 

“Me too,” Mitch says quickly, and then he gestures back at the room of the frat house that’s currently serving as a dance floor. “I was just with my friend, back there. He’s my pal. My buddy.” 

“Okay,” Auston says slowly. 

“Like, he’s just my friend, not— sorry,” Mitch says. “I’m kind of drunk.”

“I could tell,” Auston says, giving him a wry half-smile.

“This never happens,” Mitch says, a little too loud, and Auston notices that there’s a smudge of glitter, right by his temple, and the dim light reflects strangely off of it. “It was my friend’s birthday dinner before.” 

“It happens,” Auston says, focusing on the smudge of glitter. He wonders if Mitch knows it’s there. 

“I don’t like it,” Mitch says. “Every time I see someone I like, I’m worried that I’m gonna do something wrong.” 

“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Auston says. 

“But, like— okay, I have to ask,” he reaches out, puts a hand on Auston’s bicep. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but are you a good hugger?” 

Auston blinks. “What?” 

“You just look like you’d be a good hugger,” Mitch says. “Seriously, I’m not trying to pull anything with this.” 

“I don’t know if I’m a good hugger or not,” Auston says. 

“Well, you should hug me, and then I can tell you,” Mitch says. 

“I thought you weren’t trying to pull anything,” Auston says, but he’s blushing, and Mitch’s grip on his bicep loosens. 

“I’m seriously just asking for a hug,” Mitch says. “Like— honestly, I’m still trying to figure out if you secretly hate me?” 

“I don’t secretly hate you,” Auston says, laughing in surprise. “Why would you even think that?” 

“You act so cool,” Mitch says, dragging out the last word. “And I’m, like, all over the place.” 

“That’s not a reason to hate someone,” Auston says. 

“Anything can be a reason to hate someone if you try hard enough,” Mitch says. 

“Well, looking for reasons to hate people seems like more effort than it’s worth,” Auston says. “You’re nice. I like liking you.” 

“I like liking you too,” Mitch says, giving Auston a cheesy, exaggerated grin, and it’s totally fake, but Auston idly thinks that he’d probably give Mitch the moon if he asked with that same smile, or with any smile, really. 

Auston really likes Mitch’s smile. This isn’t exactly news. 

“You know,” Mitch says, and Auston realizes that he’s been wordlessly staring for a beat too long. Thankfully, Mitch seems unphased. “I would very much like to hug you.” 

“So you can tell me if I’m good or not?” Auston says. 

“Well, it’s mostly because I want to hug you,” Mitch says. “Because we’re friends, and you don’t secretly hate me, so we should celebrate that.” 

“Sounds like a good enough reason to me,” Auston says, and then Mitch wraps his arms around Auston’s neck, tucking his face into his shoulder and squeezing. 

Mostly, Auston tries to focus on keeping Mitch upright, because Auston’s definitely the soberer one here, and Mitch is leaning on him. His arms snake around Mitch’s waist and he holds him there, and he knows it’s just a hug, but it’s also just— it’s nice, having Mitch this close. 

Mitch hugs the same way he smiles, like he’s pushing all the happiness he feels onto you, and it makes Auston’s heart fill with love and his lungs fill with the smell of Mitch’s shampoo and cheap vodka. 

And Mitch is just  _ giving  _ him this— this hug, this friendship, this unmatched feeling of unadulterated happiness, and Auston is drowning in the best possible way. 

“Okay, yeah,” Mitch says, pulling away from Auston, and Auston wants to reach out and bring him back into his arms, because he’s kind of convinced that’s where he belongs. “You’re a good hugger.” 

“So are you,” Auston says, and he can’t really be bothered to contain his grin. 

Mitch’s face does something complicated at that, and then he opens his mouth like he’s going to say something before closing it again. “Oh, wow.” 

It should make Auston worry, maybe, except there’s a hint of wonder in Mitch’s eyes, and it feels safe. “I should go find my friends.” 

“So should I,” Mitch says, but then he reaches out and squeezes Auston’s hand, like he can’t not touch him.

Auston’s breath catches, and everything feels… big, all of a sudden. “Are you good?” 

“Yeah,” Mitch says, not taking his eyes off Auston. “Really good.”

“I meant, like, do you know where your friends are,” Auston says. 

“Oh,” Mitch says, and then he casts a quick glance toward the dark hoard of bodies. “Yeah.” 

“Okay,” Auston says, and then he lets go of Mitch’s hand, even though it’s the last thing he wants to do, because if he doesn’t, he might do something stupid, like kiss him.

Which isn’t the worst idea in the world, but Mitch is really drunk, and Auston’s world is spinning, so that should probably happen… like, not right now.

But, someday, hopefully. 

“I’m glad I ran into you,” Mitch says. “I wish I wasn’t so drunk. I mean, not because I’m, like, sick, but—” 

“Yeah,” Auston says. 

Mitch blinks a few times, like he’s trying to gather his bearings. “You give better hugs than I thought,” he says. “And I’m gonna go before I say anything else embarrassing.” 

“I don’t think that’s embarrassing,” Auston says, and Mitch grins at that, almost nervous, before he turns around and walks away. 

 

(“Dude, you’ve got something on your face,” his roommate says later, when they stumble into the lobby of their dorm. 

Auston touches the side of his face, and when he looks at his fingers, he sees glitter. 

“Oh,” he says, and it’s not until he opens his mouth to say it that he realizes he’s smiling.) 

 

*** 

 

The third  _ oh  _ moment catches Auston by surprise, because it happens when he’s leaving for class and already running late. 

He opens the door of his dorm room, and there’s Mitch Marner, standing in the hallway, comically wide-eyed.

“I was gonna knock,” Mitch says. 

Auston is somewhat flustered, and very much confused, so he just kind of stares. 

“Sorry, you’re busy—” 

“It’s okay, I’m not,” Auston lies, breathless from his frantic textbook search, and also from the way Mitch’s cheeks are kind of red. 

“Don’t you have class?” Mitch says, furrowing his brow.

“I— uh—” Auston says. “Why are you here?” 

“Um,” Mitch says, and then he bites his lip, takes a step toward Auston, and presses their lips together, quick and chaste and long overdue.

It’s over before Auston has a chance to respond, and then Mitch is talking, fast and frantic.

“I hope that was okay,” Mitch says, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, I know you have class, I was gonna try and catch you before, but then I got nervous, and then I figured we could talk on the way.” 

“Dude,” Auston says. 

“Sorry,” Mitch says. “I really didn’t mean to make you late.” 

Auston shakes his head, disbelieving, then drops his backpack on the floor and pulls Mitch in for another kiss. 

This one is not at all quick, and not at all chaste, but still very much long overdue. 

“So, your class?” Mitch says against Auston’s mouth, as the dorm room door slams shut behind them. 

“I can skip it,” Auston says absently, and then they’re kissing again.

“Are you sure?” Mitch pulls away, putting his hand on Auston’s chest and everything. 

“The professor puts the slides online,” Auston says. “I’ll be fine.” 

“No, I meant— are you sure about— like, the kissing, and—” 

“I’m sure about this,” Auston says. “I’m sure about you.” 

“I really hope you don’t mean that in a friends-with-benefits way,” Mitch says, and then he kisses Auston, like he’s afraid to hear the response. 

“I mean that in whatever way you want,” Auston says. 

“Promise?” Mitch asks, his voice low, and god, Auston doesn’t know how he went this long without kissing him.

“Promise,” Auston says, and then Mitch’s lips are against his, and Auston is trying to feel every part of him at once. 

 

(“So,” Mitch says, when they’re lying in Auston’s bed a few hours later. “Boyfriends?” 

“Boyfriends,” Auston confirms, and presses a kiss to Mitch’s head. 

Someday, Auston thinks, Mitch will pretend to be annoyed about Auston’s cheesiness, and he’ll probably make that cute scrunched-up face he sometimes does, but right now, things are new enough that all Mitch does is smile fondly. 

Auston’s excited for the future. He’s also enjoying the now.)

 

***

 

The fourth  _ oh  _ moment happens when Auston’s guard is down, so the “Oh” falls from his mouth in the middle of the library.  

“What?” Mitch says, looking up.

“I love you.” 

Mitch stares at him, which is fair, considering it’s the first sentence either of them has uttered in hours that hasn’t been about macroeconomics. 

“Dude,” Mitch says. “We have a test tomorrow.” 

Auston shrugs, one-shouldered. “Just sayin’.” 

“Why?” 

“Because it’s true.” 

Mitch sighs, almost exasperated. “I mean, same, but I really don’t have time for happiness right now.” 

“Wait, what?” 

“I love you too,” Mitch says, and then points a pencil at him. “We’re postponing any celebratory making out until after finals, though.” 

“Fair enough,” Auston says, tapping his fingers and staring at Mitch as he turns back to his laptop, and he’s still staring when Willy and Zach return to the table a few seconds later, pizza in hand. 

“Okay, brain food,” Willy says. “I’m mandating a study break so you don’t get tomato sauce all over Zachy’s sexy, sexy study guides.” 

Mitch looks up. “What?” 

“It’s not about the study guides, it’s just important to take breaks, sometimes,” Zach says, rolling his eyes at Willy. 

“It’s also important to take compliments,” Willy sing-songs. 

“Fine,” Zach says, trying to hide a fond smile. “Thank you for calling my study guides sexy, for some reason.” 

Mitch turns to Auston, not looking any less confused. “What?” 

“We’re taking a break from studying to eat,” Auston says, then gently nudges Mitch’s foot under the table. “You should, too.” 

“Seriously, you look like garbage,” Willy says. 

“Hey,” Mitch and Auston say in unison. 

“I think he’s just trying to say you look stressed,” Zach says. “Maybe you should take a few minutes to clear your head.” 

“Oh,” Mitch says, and then he looks at Auston, his eyes going wide. “Oh.” 

“Mitch?” Auston says, furrowing his brow. 

Mitch stands up abruptly. “Go for a walk with me.” 

“Seriously?” Willy says. “We  _ just _ got dinner.”

“Not hungry,” Mitch says, not taking his eyes off of Auston. “We’ll be back soon, don’t worry.” 

“Yeah,” Auston says, standing up, still not really sure what’s going on. “Let’s—” 

“Yeah,” Mitch says, grabbing Auston’s hand, and then he drags him away as Auston gives an apologetic shrug over his shoulders. 

They’re not running, but they’re not exactly walking at a leisurely pace, either, and Mitch is squeezing Auston’s hand tightly. 

“Where are we—”

“Bookstacks,” Mitch says, cutting him off. 

“Do you need a book?” Auston says.

“If I needed a book, I’d ask a librarian,” Mitch says, rolling his eyes as he leads Auston into the maze of shelves. 

“Then what are we doing here?” Auston says. 

Mitch stops short, quickly checks the surrounding aisles, then fixes Auston with a look that’s downright hungry for a split second before pulling him in for a kiss, fast and hot and hungry. 

“This,” Mitch pants, before tangling his fingers in Auston’s hair and tugging him closer, until his back is against the concrete library wall. “Holy fuck, you  _ love  _ me.” 

“I love you,” Auston says, and the words feel bigger now than they had before. “And you love me?”

“Fuck, yeah,” Mitch says. “I love you so much, holy  _ shit—”  _ he kisses him again, probably because words feel inadequate, right now. 

“I really love you,” Auston says, because he can’t stop himself, like maybe, if he says it enough, it’ll stop feeling like the most overwhelmingly true thing he’s ever experienced. 

“Love,” Mitch says. “Love. I  _ love  _ you, you love me— holy fuck, we’re in  _ love.”  _

“I know,” Auston says, laughing against his mouth, and then they’re kissing again, sloppy and absolutely perfect. 

 

(When they get back to the table, the pizza is cold, and Willy’s very much judging their rumpled hair and shirts and too-big smiles. 

“Good walk?” Willy asks. 

“It was alright,” Mitch says, flopping down in his chair and kicking his feet up on the table, holding a slice of pizza carelessly in one hand, sounding more relaxed and more like himself than he has in hours.) 

 

*** 

 

The fifth time the  _ oh  _ feeling happens, Auston’s feeling impulsive. 

“I just had a really stupid idea,” Auston says. 

“Alright,” Mitch says. “I’m in.” 

“You don’t even know what it is,” Auston says. 

“You’ve gone along with most of my stupid ideas for however many years we’ve been dating,” Mitch says. 

“So, three years,” Auston says. 

Mitch waves his hand. “Whatever, I’m not a math major. Point is, you’ve earned my unconditional support.” 

“Well, I’d prefer you listen to this idea before you give me a yes or a no,” Auston says. 

“Fine, hit me,” Mitch says. 

Auston takes a deep breath, and Mitch looks up, like he’s only just realizing that Auston’s about to ask something big. 

 

(“I’m glad I said yes,” Mitch says, low enough that Auston almost misses it over the sound of their friends’ cheers.) 

 

*** 

 

“Aus,” Mitch says, shaking Auston lightly. “Aus, I just realized something.” 

“Wh—” Auston rubs at his eyes. “What time is it?” 

“3:30,” Mitch says. 

“In the morning?” 

“Yes,” Mitch says. “Whatever, that doesn’t matter.” 

“Why are you awake at 3:30 in the morning?” Auston says, yawning. 

“Because I just realized something,” Mitch says. “Dude, we’re  _ adults.”  _

“What?”

“Like, we graduated, we live together, we have jobs, we pay  _ rent—  _ dude, this shit’s wild,” Mitch says. 

“Nah,” Auston says. “That sounds fake.”

“But it’s  _ not,” _ Mitch says. “What the fuck, this is so weird, I’m not ready to be a grown-up.” 

“Then be asleep instead,” Auston says, pulling Mitch into his arms. “Crisis can wait til the morning.” 

“Trust me, I wish it could,” Mitch says. 

Auston presses a kiss to the back of Mitch’s neck. “Being an adult isn’t so bad,” he says. “If we wanted to, we could get a dog.” 

“Can we get a dog?” Mitch asks. 

“Sure,” Auston says, closing his eyes. “I’ll check the lease tomorrow.” 

“I can’t believe we have a lease,” Mitch says. “I feel so old.” 

“I’ll start looking into retirement homes,” Auston mumbles. 

“Wait,” Mitch says. “We’re gonna grow old together. That’s baller.” 

Auston smiles. “Think you’ll still love me when I’m all wrinkly?” 

“Duh,” Mitch says. “It’ll be great, just you and me in rocking chairs and all of our dogs.” 

“How many dogs?” 

“A lot,” Mitch says. “Maybe ten? We can figure out the exact number tomorrow.” 

“Does that mean you’re going to sleep?”

“Yeah, I think so.” 

“Crisis averted?” 

“Oh, no, crisis is very much still happening,” Mitch says. “But you’re super comfortable, so.” 

“Glad I could be of service,” Auston says, and the last thing he hears before he falls asleep is the familiar sound of Mitch’s laughter. 

**Author's Note:**

> man i'm exhausted
> 
> lottswrites on tumblr :)


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